Top 10 Costume Colleges

While there are plenty of ways to learn about costuming – from picking up a book at your local library or browsing your friends’ closets for inspiration – enrolling in a costume design program can provide close mentorship, cultivation of connections in a network-based industry, and give you the skills to create your own bespoke wardrobe for any project. In the following top 10 costume schools, students will find a place to socialize with those who “get them”, hone their creative talents, and leave a lasting impression in the world of visual storytelling.

Costume designers often start their careers with internships or working on college or community productions before moving on to assistant designer positions. Successful designers may work for prestigious theater companies, transition to designing costumes for TV and film, or even lead the design of entire concerts and tours.

Located in the heart of fashion capital, LCF offers an MFA in costume design for theatre and performing arts with a curriculum that covers draping, pattern making and construction, life drawing and rendering, history of costume, stage makeup, and more. Students take a unique approach to the craft, embracing a research-based, analytical approach to their designs.

In a small, intimate setting, students work alongside faculty and visiting professionals (thanks to the school’s proximity to the studios) to design and supervise the costumes for 12-16 musicals, cabarets, operas, and other productions each year. Students also have the opportunity to create their own professional portfolio that can help them secure a job in the field or apply to graduate school.